"South Africa have been dealt such a huge blow" - Aakash Chopra on Anrich Nortje getting ruled of the Test series vs India

Aakash Chopra believes the absence of Anrich Nortje has dealt a huge blow to South Africa for the upcoming Test series against India.

Team India will face the Proteas in a three-match Test series, with the first encounter starting in Centurion on December 26. Nortje has been ruled out of the series due to a hip injury.

Reflecting on the development in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra opined that the hosts will be severely disadvantaged due to Anrich Nortje's absence. He said:

"With Anrich Nortje not being there, it seems South Africa have been dealt such a huge blow that it will take time to recover from it. It is not they don't have other fast bowlers, actually they have so many that they have not asked for a replacement."

The cricketer-turned-commentator pointed out that the Proteas still have plenty of pacers in their squad. Chopra elaborated:

"They are sticking with who they have. Let us see who all are left - Kagiso Rabada - he is the life of this team's bowling, after that they have Beuran Hendricks, Lungi Ngidi, Glenton Stuurman, Sisanda Magala, Duanne Olivier, Wiaan Mulder and Marco Jansen."

However, Aakash Chopra added that none of the backup options can make up for the absence of Anrich Nortje. He explained:

"You can say they have a lot but I see a lot of quantity but not that much quality. The quality Anrich Nortje has, South Africa will come at par if they play two fast bowlers, else along with Rabada and Ngidi whichever one you play, they will remain below only."

The Dean Elgar-led side will certainly miss the services of Nortje during the Test series against India. However, the return of Duanne Olivier, who picked up 48 wickets in ten Tests before he left on a Kolpak deal, will give them some comfort.

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"I was feeling more danger from Anrich Nortje than Rabada" - Aakash Chopra

Anrich Nortje is yet to play a Test against India on home soil

Aakash Chopra believes Anrich Nortje would have been a bigger threat than Kagiso Rabada for Team India. He observed:

"Anrich Nortje's current form and the way he was bowling - in my opinion, he was bowling even better than Rabada at the moment. Between the two of them, I was feeling more danger from Anrich Nortje than Rabada."

The 44-year-old concluded by stating that Nortje's absence has given Team India a slight upper hand. Chopra reasoned:

"The pace and accuracy we have seen from Nortje for the last little while - in the last six to eight months, he is the most improved fast bowler in the world. In such a scenario, if he is not there on the South African pitches, the scales get tilted slightly towards the Indian team."

Nortje has grown by leaps and bounds as a fast bowler over the last year or so. The express pacer has scalped 47 wickets in the 12 Tests he has played for South Africa, with 29 of these wickets coming in six matches on home soil.

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